The present invention relates generally to a device for storing and displaying information and advertising materials on the armrests of stadium or theatre seats. More specifically, this invention relates to a device fabricated to closely match the contours of the existing armrests of stadium, theatre, or arena seats, the device having a resilient clip or flap for retaining advertising and informational material in a manner which permits stadium patrons to remove and inspect the materials at their leisure. The external surfaces of the device may be adapted to display further advertising materials printed, or adhered thereon. Optionally, the device may also include a beverage cup holder.
2. Description of Related Art
The popularity of spectator sports has grown in recent years leading to the construction of stadiums and arenas capable of accommodating tens of thousands of avid sports fans. In order to make the viewing experience more pleasurable for these spectators, modern sports facilities are generally provided with seating of a standard variety having upright seatbacks, armrests, and folding seat bottoms. Similar seats are also found in theatres and other like facilities.
Advertisers of various products and services have found that the large number of potential consumers present at sporting and other such cultural events provides a valuable advertising opportunity. Likewise, the facility operators have a need to provide the fans with safety information, public service announcements, notice of up-coming events, and various other information. Numerous methods have been devised to advertise or display information at these events, including signs and billboards, announcements over the public address system, sponsor logos on team uniforms, blimps, and streamers pulled behind airplanes, to name but a few. One drawback of such advertising methods, however, is that they lack the ability to address each fan on an individual basis. For example, many advertisers find it desirable to provide coupons or other advertisements which the potential consumer can remove from the stadium to use or further review at a later time. Thus it has been found that spectators at these events constitute a "captive audience" of potential consumers, to which advertisers and others wish to direct personalized advertising and informational messages.
Additionally, it has been found that it is desirable to provide stadium or theatre patrons with a "cup-holder" device designed to accommodate containers of beer, soft drinks, popcorn, and the like, which are purchased by stadium patrons. Although, some stadium seats incorporate such cup-holders into their basic design, it is known that many venues lack such amenities. Patrons using seats lacking such devices are often forced to place their refreshments on the floor of the seating area, where they are frequently kicked over and spilled.
A variety of devices have been developed to remedy this situation by retrofitting existing stadium seats with cup-holder devices. For example Gage, U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,969, Stern et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,211 and Young et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,134, all disclose cup-holder devices for attachment to existing theatre or stadium seats. A variation of such devices is shown by Ayotte U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,000. Similarly, a number of devices, such as those of Douglas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,724 U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,962 Yust, and Danna et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,326 show trays having cup-holder means which are adapted to be mounted on existing armrests.
None of the known devices, however, makes provision for storing or displaying information and advertising materials in a manner which permits stadium patrons to remove and inspect the materials at their leisure. Stem et al. does disclose a recessed display area in the upper surface of its armrest portion, whereby advertising material may be inserted beneath a transparent plate so that it can be seen by the seat occupant. This arrangement, however, does not enable the seat occupant to remove and inspect the advertising material deposited therein. Additionally, the device of Stem et al. can display only a single advertisement at any given time, and requires significant disassembly to insert new material. Also, because the advertising material displayed by Stem, et at. is recessed into the surface of the device, the advertisement is less conspicuous and will often go unnoticed by the seat occupant. By contrast, the device of the present invention allows the advertising and informational material retained thereon to be displayed in a conspicuous manner, where it cannot be ignored by the seat occupant.
Also, because known devices typically mount to the top surface of a seat's armrest, they may interfere with attempts to install the storage and display device of the present invention. Additionally, the comfort provided stadium patrons will be increased if a unitary armrest surface is provided, which does not have seams, raised edges or fasteners projecting therefrom. Thus, it has been found desirable to provide the presently-described storage and display device with an integral cup-holder, so that a single, multi-purpose device may be installed.
Thus, it can be seen that there is a need for a storage and display device which is contoured to be installed on existing stadium armrests and which retains advertising and informational materials in a manner which permits stadium patrons to remove and inspect the materials at their leisure.
Moreover, there exists a need for such a device which may be attached to standard, existing stadium armrests, and which may further incorporate an integral beverage cup-holder.
Likewise, a need exists for a device which may be easily and economically manufactured and retrofitted onto existing armrests, which will not interfere with the comfort of stadium patrons utilizing the armrests, nor interfere with pedestrian traffic between the rows of stadium seats.
It is to the provision of a device which meets these needs that the present invention is primarily directed.